Being black in bad LS neighborhoods Forum

[Anon2008]

So I got into UChicago, which is awesome. However, immediately after I told my family, they were like "we were praying you'd get rejected. Chicago is too dangerous."

Keep in mind, my mom's entire side of the family has been in Chicago since the very early part of the great migration. They're Chicago people and I've spent a total of about 1.5-2.5 years in the city if I added it all up, although I haven't been there in about 4 years. The problem seems to come down to black males being at the greatest risk in high risk neighborhoods. We would have to be especially aware and careful.

Has anyone else been factoring this sort of issue into their decision?

[talesofyore]

So I got into UChicago, which is awesome. However, immediately after I told my family, they were like "we were praying you'd get rejected. Chicago is too dangerous."

Keep in mind, my mom's entire side of the family has been in Chicago since the very early part of the great migration. They're Chicago people and I've spent a total of about 1.5-2.5 years in the city if I added it all up, although I haven't been there in about 4 years. The problem seems to come down to black males being at the greatest risk in high risk neighborhoods. We would have to be especially aware and careful.

Has anyone else been factoring this sort of issue into their decision?

Is it really that bad? It's definitely been a factor for me, but every time I say anything about hearing of people getting shot/stabbed/mugged in Chicago with alarming regularity I am told that I'm being paranoid, and it's just a matter of not going into the crazy areas and always using common sense .

My parents were hesitant about me going to UChicago too due to one of my aunts once living there and telling them of horror stories all the time.

[cinephile]

it's just a matter of not going into the crazy areas

As someone who spent time at the undergrad, I can say that the whole university is a "crazy area." When you get mugged, just hand over your iphone and stuff and you should be fine.

But seriously, it's a great school and a relatively cheap place to live.

[talesofyore]

it's just a matter of not going into the crazy areas

As someone who spent time at the undergrad, I can say that the whole university is a "crazy area." When you get mugged, just hand over your iphone and stuff and you should be fine.

But seriously, it's a great school and a relatively cheap place to live.

I don't want to deal with that. What about the OP's proposition that it's an especially dangerous place for black males? If I go I'm gonna need my younger brother to visit me on the regular while I'm there and I don't want his blood on my hands.

[P-salms]

As a black male all but set on UChi, this is relevant to my interests. I'm not really taking the dangers, real and perceived, into account. Educate me.

[cinephile]

it's just a matter of not going into the crazy areas

As someone who spent time at the undergrad, I can say that the whole university is a "crazy area." When you get mugged, just hand over your iphone and stuff and you should be fine.

But seriously, it's a great school and a relatively cheap place to live.

I don't want to deal with that. What about the OP's proposition that it's an especially dangerous place for black males? If I go I'm gonna need my younger brother to visit me on the regular while I'm there and I don't want his blood on my hands.

I honestly have no idea if it's worse for black males. Have you visited the school already? That might help you get a feel on whether you want to attend.

[Dany]

I'm a 2L at Chicago and I've literally never felt unsafe. I have lived in Hyde Park both years. I'm not black or a male, but I don't really see why it would be more or less dangerous based on race/sex (if anything, I'd think females were more at risk?) since you're going to be in the same areas as all the other law students, living in the same place, going to the same parties, etc.

I think it's just natural for families to worry, especially when Chicago and the south side in general do have violence and crime, but I think the university is good at keeping people safe, and like I said, it has not been an issue for me while I've been a student here. If they are super paranoid about it, you can always just live up north like a lot of law students do.

[Smumps]

it's just a matter of not going into the crazy areas

As someone who spent time at the undergrad, I can say that the whole university is a "crazy area." When you get mugged, just hand over your iphone and stuff and you should be fine.

But seriously, it's a great school and a relatively cheap place to live.

This post is stupid. The campus is incredibly safe (as is the surrounding neighborhood assuming you use common sense), and there are university sponsored shuttles going every which way from 5pm-4am. They send us the weekly crime report thing and I can only think of one or two instances this entire year where someone was mugged.

Current UoC law student

[BerkeleyBear]

it's just a matter of not going into the crazy areas

As someone who spent time at the undergrad, I can say that the whole university is a "crazy area." When you get mugged, just hand over your iphone and stuff and you should be fine.

But seriously, it's a great school and a relatively cheap place to live.

This post is stupid. The campus is incredibly safe (as is the surrounding neighborhood assuming you use common sense), and there are university sponsored shuttles going every which way from 5pm-4am. They send us the weekly crime report thing and I can only think of one or two instances this entire year where someone was mugged.

Current UoC law student

Look at the bolded.

[HankBashir]

My mother is the same way concerning Chicago, mainly because of all the news stories about black youths being shot and killed in Chicago. While it's something to be aware of when you're off campus, I haven't really read about any UChicago students being shot/killed of any race. I'm not sure how the rest of Chicago's crime stats stack up.

[cinephile]

[quote="Smumps"] I can only think of one or two instances this entire year where someone was mugged.
/quote]

Either it's changed dramatically in the past few years you're being willfully blind. It's not that dangerous, but you're also kidding yourself as to how safe it is.

[LSL]

.

[Smumps]

I can only think of one or two instances this entire year where someone was mugged.
/quote]

Either it's changed dramatically in the past few years you're being willfully blind. It's not that dangerous, but you're also kidding yourself as to how safe it is.

Mugged on campus. The violence further south is terrible, which you can avoid by not being there at night (why you'd be there at night I have no idea). I wouldn't walk around alone at 2am, but I wouldn't do that in most any city.

and my bad to the poster above, missed the kidding part. proceed.

[somewhatwayward]

As a black male all but set on UChi, this is relevant to my interests. I'm not really taking the dangers, real and perceived, into account. Educate me.

As I recall you're planning to pay sticker. I'd be a lot more worried about that than the fairly low chance you will be the victim of a crime.

[P-salms]

As a black male all but set on UChi, this is relevant to my interests. I'm not really taking the dangers, real and perceived, into account. Educate me.

As I recall you're planning to pay sticker. I'd be a lot more worried about that than the fairly low chance you will be the victim of a crime.

I'm not losing sleep over the "crime rate". I live in a high crime area and managed to navigate thus far. Debt, on the other hand...

[FlowBro]

As a black male all but set on UChi, this is relevant to my interests. I'm not really taking the dangers, real and perceived, into account. Educate me.

As I recall you're planning to pay sticker. I'd be a lot more worried about that than the fairly low chance you will be the victim of a crime.

TITCR

[AspiringAcademic]

I have no informed thoughts on the racial aspect of your situation, but I would second the attempts to differentiate Hyde Park from the rest of the south side. Take a look at this:
http://crime.chicagotribune.com/chicago ... /hyde-park

By contrast, this is two neighborhoods away:
http://crime.chicagotribune.com/chicago ... d-crossing

And this is in west Chicago (rather far away):
http://crime.chicagotribune.com/chicago ... field-park

One of my female friends walks home alone after midnight at least once a week and hasn't ever had a problem. I'm not quite as sold on its safety as she is, but I've never felt unsafe. If you were going to venture south of Hyde Park I could definitely see the concern but, realistically, no one does.

[Dany]

One of my female friends walks home alone after midnight at least once a week and hasn't ever had a problem.

That's pretty dumb of her.

[twenty]

Having Mexican-American family that has lived in Chatham (Chicago) and Athens (Los Angeles), I can say Los Angeles is FAR, FAR worse than Chatham, which is better than Hyde Park.

If any minority students are looking at USC (and to a much lesser extent, UCLA), I would highly urge them to count on spending most of their time within the campus bubble rather than out and about on foot. Just over the last couple months I had a knife pulled on me near 43rd, and ran into a gang while there was some event going on at the Colosseum -- and I was just minding my own business. I've felt safer walking around in Mexico City than in LA.

[TaipeiMort]

Its not that bad. Gangs aren't as active in Hyde Park-- although the gangster disciples apparently tagged floors in regents park (place where most 1Ls live) last year. Robbing and mugging occur less than people may think. Four police departments (University, Metro, Chicago, and IHP) and the Secret Service patrol the town, as well as the Nation of Islam. The sexual assault rate is lower than Lincoln Park (white 20-something community on the North Side). An African grad student was murdered blocks south of the law school, but he didn't know he was wearing gang colors. Just don't go North, South, or West on foot, ride the Green line, drive down Stony Island (although they have an awesome dollar tree and White Castle), dont even look at GI (Gary, In).

[RodneyRuxin]

It's a city. You have to know how to act in a city, which might be different from suburbs you may have grown up in.

Don't walk alone at night.
When being stupid and walking alone at night, don't put headphones in.
Be aware of your surroundings.
Take public transportation/school buses.
Get your laptop tagged by the police so it's of little value to thieves.
Carry cards instead of cash.
Take the side of the street that's lit/populated.

[Aqualibrium]

How wack is your family for "praying that you got rejected?"

How ridiculous is religion that people even offer up such selfish ass, ridiculous prayers?

Why do you think Chicago differs from any other major urban area? Be aware of your surroundings, don't be flashy, don't be out too late, and don't do drugs mmmkay; you'll probably be fine.

[qwertyboard]

I know a think or two about bad places to live and I can say Chicago is not that bad. Common sense and you'll be safe.

[Emma.]

My mother is the same way concerning Chicago, mainly because of all the news stories about black youths being shot and killed in Chicago. While it's something to be aware of when you're off campus, I haven't really read about any UChicago students being shot/killed of any race. I'm not sure how the rest of Chicago's crime stats stack up.

There are a couple neighborhoods in Chicago that are horrific. One of those is fairly close to campus, but that stuff really doesn't spill into Hyde Park. If you stay out of the worst neighborhoods then Chicago (including Hyde Park) is no more dangerous than any other city.

[txdude45]

An African grad student was murdered blocks south of the law school, but he didn't know he was wearing gang colors.

I didn't know this was a thing. They don't ask questions, just kill people? Damn. It seams like OP may have a point then about black dudes being more at risk, but idk.